Production Conditions in Guatemala's Key Agricultural Product: Corn
回顾了1950-60年代农业被忽视到1970年代末成为发展焦点的转变，以危地马拉玉米生产为例，分析政策如何从自给转向市场导向，并强调中小农场在基本谷物增产中的作用。
In most work on development during the 1950s and 1960s, the role of agriculture was either ignored or given secondary consideration to industry. Recently, however, stagnation in agriculture combined with the realization that industry has not been able to provide jobs for displaced rural peasants have led to a re-evaluation of the role that the agricultural sector can play in development. Indeed to some degree there has been a 180-degree shift, as agriculture is often looked to as the prime focus for growth and development. Guatemalan policy reflects this change. The 1971-75 Plan (Guatemala 1970) gave some mention to agriculture but it was far from a major emphasis. But for the 1979-1982 period, agriculture is seen as a key sector and the move from selfsufficiency to market-oriented production is seen as a means of raising rural wages, incomes, and productivity (Guatemala 1978, p. 43). Guatemala's agricultural policies respond to recommendations of the 1976 IDB/IBRD/ AID sector study of Guatemalan agriculture.' Central to our concern is the emphasis placed on domestic grain production. The report identifies lagging basic grain production as one of Guatemala's most serious economic problems and suggests expanded grain acreage and improved grain production techniques as the means of increasing output. This highlights the role of middle-sized and small farms, for it is there that most staple grain is planted, while the larger farms grow cash crops for export.